No. 2. — Reports on the Results of Dredging, under the Supervision 

 of Alexander Agassiz, in the Gulf of Mexico (1877-78), in the 

 Caribbean (1878-79), and along the Atlantic Coast of the United 

 States, during the Summer of 1880, bij tJie U. S. Coast Survey 

 Steamer "Blake," Lieutenant-Commander C. D. Sigsbee, U.S.K, 

 and Commander J. R. Bartlett, U. S. N., Commanding. 



(Published by permission of Caklile P. Patterson and J. E. Hilgard, Super- 

 intendents of the U. S. Coast aud Geodetic Survey. ) 



XXVII. 



Report on the Specimens (f Bottom Deposits. By John Murray. 



BLAKE DEPOSITS.! 



1. Specimens of deposits procured in the Gulf of Maine and along the 

 Coast of North America between the Gulf of Maine and Cape Hatteras 

 in 1880 {Stations 301-312, and 330-347) and in the Gulf of Maine in 

 1875. 



These deposits consist of blue or gray colored muds and sands, the 

 latter being found only in depths less than 100 fathoms. They lie be- 

 tween the coast and the inner edge of the Gulf Stream. The greatest 

 depths are 1394 and 1186 fathoms, situated between 30 and 40 miles 

 outside the 100-fathom line. These deposits are chiefly made up of the 

 debris of the land of the North American continent, the mineral par- 

 ticles and clayey matter making up usually from 80 to 85 per cent of 

 the whole deposit. 



1 Mr. John Murray, to whom the specimens of bottom deposits collected by the 

 "Blake" were sent for examination, has looked over the whole and selected some 

 typical specimens. These have been described in detail, and he has added some gen- 

 eral notes on the specimens characteristic, 1. of the Coast between the Gulf of Maine 

 and Cape Hatteras ; 2. of tlie coast between Cape Hatteras and Lat. 31° 48' N. ; 3. 

 of the coasts around the greater and lesser Antilles ; and, finally, of the Gulf of 

 Mexico and Straits of Florida. 



Alexander Agassiz. 



MusKUM OF Comparative Zoology, 



Cambridge, July 10, 1885. 



VOL. XII. — NO. 2. 



